The purpose of this article is to identify certain regulations and standards for mobile homes located in the Article V, R-3 Residential District.
A.
Permits required. It shall be unlawful for any person to maintain,
construct, alter or extend any mobile home park within the limits
of the Borough unless he or she holds a valid certificate of registration
issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
and a permit issued by the Borough Council in the name of such person
for the specific maintenance, construction, alteration or extension
proposed. The municipal permit shall be conspicuously posted in the
office or on the premises of the mobile home park at all times.
B.
Application to Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
All applications for a certificate of registration shall be made by
the owner of the mobile home park or his or her authorized representative
in accordance with the Rules and Regulations, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
Department of Environmental Protection, 25 Pa. Code Chapter 179, as
hereafter amended, supplemented, modified or reenacted.
C.
Application to Borough. A copy of the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection application shall be concurrently filed with
the Borough Council, and the applicant shall also submit an application
to the Borough Council using a form furnished by the Borough Council
for a permit to operate a mobile home park in the Borough.
D.
Renewal permits. Renewal permits shall be issued annually by the
Borough Council upon furnishing proof by the applicant that his or
her park continues to meet standards prescribed by the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection and this article.
E.
Inspection of mobile home parks. A representative of the Borough
Council may inspect a mobile home park at reasonable intervals, and
at reasonable times, to determine compliance with this article.
F.
Compliance of existing mobile home parks.
(1)
Mobile home parks in existence at the date of adoption of this
article and being duly authorized to operate as the same by the Pennsylvania
Department of Health may be continued so long as they otherwise remain
lawful.
(2)
Existing mobile home parks shall be required to submit an existing
plot plan, drawn to scale, when applying for a mobile home park permit
as required herein, within 90 days of the date of enactment of this
article.
(3)
Any subsequent new construction, alteration or extension of
an existing mobile home park shall comply with the provisions of this
article.
(4)
Any existing mobile home park which, in the opinion of the Borough
Council, creates a safety hazard shall be required to comply with
this article within a reasonable period of time as determined by the
Borough Council.
G.
Individual mobile homes. Individual mobile homes permitted in areas
as set forth in this chapter and not located in a mobile home park
shall not be required to obtain a mobile home park permit; however,
they shall be required to obtain zoning and building permits as prescribed
by the Borough Council. Individual mobile homes shall comply with
all other applicable municipal ordinances and regulations governing
single-family homes.
H.
Registration.
(1)
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any mobile home
park within the limits of the Borough unless he or she holds a certificate
of registration issued annually by the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection in the name of such person for the specific
mobile home park. Proof of such registration shall be furnished to
the Borough Council no later than February 1 of each year.
(2)
Every person holding a certificate shall file notice, in writing,
to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the
Borough Council within 10 days after having sold, transferred, given
away or otherwise disposed of interest in or control of any mobile
home park. If the certificate of registration is transferred by the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, proof of such
transfer shall be furnished to the Borough Council.
(3)
Whenever, upon inspection of any mobile home park, it is determined that conditions or practices exist which are in violation of any provision of this article, or of any regulations adopted pursuant thereto, the Borough Council shall give notice, in writing, in accordance with § 185-2015, to the person to whom the certificate was issued, advising him or her that, unless such conditions or practices are corrected within a reasonable period of time specified in the notice, the license to operate in the Borough shall be suspended. At the end of such period, such mobile home park shall be inspected and, if such conditions or practices have not been corrected, the Borough Council shall suspend the license and give notice, in writing, of such suspension to the person to whom the certificate is issued.
All fees shall be set by the Borough Council pursuant to resolution.
A.
Application for the mobile home park permit shall be filed in triplicate
with the Borough Council. The application shall be in writing, signed
by the owner, and shall include the following:
(1)
Name and address of the owner.
(2)
Location and legal description of the mobile home park.
(4)
Plans and specifications of all buildings, improvements and
facilities constructed or to be constructed within the mobile home
park.
(5)
Such further information as may be requested by the various
municipal agencies to enable them to determine if the proposed park
will comply with legal requirements.
B.
The applicant shall submit a copy of the application and plans to
the Borough Planning Commission, County Planning Commission and the
Borough Engineer for their review and recommendations.
C.
Upon receipt of recommendations from the Borough and County Planning
Commissions and the Borough Engineer, the Borough Council shall consider
the application and mobile home park plan to determine compliance
with the provisions thereof. Upon favorable determination of the same
and upon being furnished a copy of the certificate of registration
issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
to the owner and payment of the fee prescribed, the Borough Council
shall issue a mobile home park permit to the owner, which shall be
valid for a period of one year thereafter.
A.
Mobile home parks may be located in those districts where permitted
by this chapter.
B.
Site location. The location of all mobile home parks shall be:
(1)
Free from adverse influence by swamps, marshes, garbage or rubbish,
disposal areas or other potential breeding places for insects or rodents.
(2)
Not subject to flooding.
(3)
Not subject to any hazard or nuisance, such as excessive noise,
vibration, smoke, toxic matter, radiation, heat, odor or glare.
C.
Soil and ground cover requirements.
(1)
Exposed surfaces in all parts of every park shall be paved or
covered with stone screenings or other solid material or protected
with a vegetative growth that is capable of preventing soil erosion
and the emanation of dust during dry weather.
(2)
Park grounds shall be maintained free of vegetative growth which
is poisonous or which may harbor rodents, insects or other pests harmful
to man.
D.
Areas for nonresidential uses.
(1)
No part of any park shall be used for nonresidential purposes,
except such uses that are required for the direct servicing and well-being
of park residents and for the management and maintenance of the park.
(2)
Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed as prohibiting
the sale of a mobile home located within a mobile home park.
A.
Mobile home park size, street frontage, required setbacks, buffer
strips, density screening, etc.
(1)
All mobile home parks shall contain a minimum of six contiguous
acres. The park may be divided by streams and other natural features
but shall not be divided by any public streets, railroad tracks or
similar man-made barriers.
(2)
Minimum frontage along a public street shall be 200 feet.
(3)
All mobile homes shall be located at least 50 feet from any
public street or highway right-of-way and at least 20 feet from all
other park property boundary lines.
(4)
Mobile homes shall be separated from each other and from service
buildings and other structures by at least 30 feet and shall be located
not less than six feet from the mobile home space boundary. Mobile
home space shall have a minimum width of 50 feet and a minimum length
of 100 feet.
B.
An accessory structure which has a horizontal area exceeding 25 square
feet, is attached to a mobile home and/or located within 10 feet of
its window and has an opaque or translucent top or roof that is higher
than such window shall, for purposes of this separation requirement,
be considered to be part of the mobile home.
C.
Acceptable standards for mobile homes. All mobile homes assembled
or installed in a mobile home park must meet the following standards:
(1)
The mobile home must conform to the most recently adopted Manufactured
Housing Construction and Safety Standards Code.
(2)
The exterior appearance of the mobile home shall be of similar
design to conventional dwellings which are constructed on the site.
The following criteria shall determine if the exterior appearance
of the mobile home conforms with this requirement.
(a)
The minimum width of the main body of the mobile home as assembled
on the site shall not be less than 20 feet, as measured across the
narrowest part.
(b)
The pitch of the main roof shall be not less than one foot of
rise for each four feet of horizontal run. The minimum distance from
eaves to ridge shall be 10 feet.
(c)
Any materials that are generally acceptable for housing built
on the site may be used for the exterior finish of a mobile home,
provided that thy are applied in such a manner as to be similar in
appearance, and provided further that the reflection from such exterior
finish shall not be greater than that from siding coated with a clean,
white, gloss exterior enamel.
(d)
All mobile homes shall be placed upon a permanent foundation.
The foundation shall be of a material and appearance similar to that
commonly used for residences constructed on site. Said foundation
shall be of sufficient size and opaqueness that it shall serve to
completely screen the undercarriage of the mobile home.
(e)
No mobile home shall have fenestration or other features nor
use colors or color combinations that would be incompatible in a general
residential neighborhood of site-built housing.
D.
Special development regulations applicable to mobile home parks.
(1)
The varied orientation of mobile homes on mobile home lots is
encouraged, provided that the required setback limitations are observed.
Homes angled or parallel to the street are preferable, and no two
contiguous lots shall contain mobile homes placed perpendicular to
the street.
(2)
Every mobile home lot shall be improved with a concrete pad
and with utility connections before any certificates of occupancy
are issued for mobile homes in the mobile home park; provided, however,
that mobile developments may be developed in sections of not less
than 50 mobile home lots each, in which case this requirement shall
be applicable only to the lots in any given section.
(3)
Every mobile home space shall be provided with devices for anchoring
the unit to prevent overturning or uplift. The owner of the parking
space shall anchor or cause to be anchored all mobile units located
on the parking space. Where concrete platforms are provided for the
parking of the units, anchorage may be by eyelets embedded in the
concrete with adequate anchor plates or hooks or other suitable means.
The anchorage shall be adequate to withstand wind forces and uplift
for buildings and structures, based upon the size and weight of the
units.
(4)
The utility connections shall include electricity, natural gas
(when available), public water and sanitary sewage. Connections shall
be underground and of a form acceptable to the Borough and the utility
generally responsible for the provision of service in the area of
the proposed site.
(5)
Every mobile home shall contain a minimum of 600 square feet
of habitable floor area, as defined by this article.
(6)
Open space requirements. All mobile home parks shall provide,
and so indicate on the plan of the mobile home park, suitable areas
for recreation and open space use by using the standard of 20% of
the total area of the mobile home park, of which 1/2 of the area shall
be in one piece. The remainder may be used to provide pedestrian connecting
links to the recreation areas.
(7)
All exterior areas not devoted to structures, patios, streets,
sidewalks, parking spaces and similar types of coverage shall be landscaped
with grass, shrubs, trees or similar vegetative ground cover. Each
mobile home lot shall be provided with at least one shade tree of
a species acceptable to the Borough Council, and said shade tree shall
have a minimum caliper of three inches at the time of planting.
(8)
Each mobile home shall be provided with a minimum of two off-street parking spaces as provided for by § 185-1603. Additional off-street parking space shall be required for community rooms, common laundry facilities and similar service, maintenance or administrative offices of the mobile home development.
(9)
Required car parking spaces shall be so located as to provide
convenient access to the mobile home and shall not exceed a distance
of 100 feet from the mobile home that they are intended to serve.
Said parking and related drives, when located within the confines
of the mobile home space, shall not occupy more than 20% of the area
of the mobile home space.
(10)
There shall be no outside storage of any kind permitted; provided,
however, that trash and garbage may be stored outside in an area screened
from view from the street or from adjoining lots.
(11)
Outdoor lighting facilities shall be arranged to protect adjoining
residences or streets from direct glare or hazardous interference.
E.
Required separation between mobile homes.
(1)
Mobile homes shall be separated from each other and from service
buildings and other structures by at least 35 feet and shall be located
not less than six feet from the mobile home space boundary. Mobile
home spaces shall have a minimum width of 50 feet and a minimum length
of 100 feet.
(2)
An accessory structure which has a horizontal area exceeding
25 square feet, is attached to a mobile home and/or located within
10 feet of its window, and has an opaque or translucent top or roof
that is higher than such window shall, for purposes of this separation
requirement, be considered to be part of the mobile home.
F.
Street system.
(1)
All streets to be offered for public dedication will conform
to the most recently adopted Delaware County Subdivision and Land
Development Ordinance.
(2)
All streets not to be offered for public dedication shall conform
to the following standards:
(a)
General requirements. Safe and convenient vehicular access shall
be provided from abutting public streets or roads.
(b)
Access. Entrance roads connecting the park streets with a public
street or road shall have a minimum cartway width of 20 feet with
six-foot crushed-stone shoulders.
(c)
Internal streets. Surfaced roadways shall be of adequate width
to accommodate anticipated traffic and in any case shall meet the
following requirements:
[1]
Internal streets shall have a minimum cartway width of 20 feet
with six-foot crushed-stone shoulders, except one-way streets, which
shall have a minimum cartway width of 12 feet with six-foot crushed-stone
shoulders.
[2]
Dead-end streets shall be provided at the closed end with a
turnaround having an outside cartway diameter of at least 80 feet.
(d)
Street construction and design standards.
[1]
Streets. All streets intended to be dedicated for public use
shall conform to the Delaware County Subdivision and Land Development
Ordinance, 1978, as amended.
[2]
Streets. All streets not to be dedicated for public use shall
be provided with a smooth, hard and dust-free surface which shall
be durable and well drained under normal use and weather conditions.
[3]
Grades. Grades of all streets shall be sufficient to ensure
adequate surface drainage but shall not be more than 8%. Short turns,
not exceeding 500 feet, with a maximum grade of 10%, may be permitted,
provided that traffic safety is assured by appropriate surfacing,
adequate leveling areas and avoidance of lateral curves.
[4]
Intersections. Within 100 feet of an intersection, streets shall
be at approximately right angles. A distance of at least 150 feet
shall be maintained between center lines of offset intersecting streets.
Intersections of more than two streets at one point shall be avoided.
A.
The plan of a proposed mobile home park shall be clearly and legibly
drawn to a scale of one inch equals 50 feet, except that larger scales
may be used for mobile home parks in excess of 20 acres.
B.
Mobile home park plans shall be prepared by a registered engineer,
surveyor or landscape architect.
C.
The plan shall show:
(1)
The name of the proposed mobile home park.
(2)
The North point, graphic scale, written scale and date, including
the month, day and year that the original drawing was completed and
the month, day and year that the original drawing was revised, for
each revision, if any.
(3)
The name of the record owner and developer.
(4)
The name and address and seal of the registered engineer, surveyor
or landscape architect responsible for the plan.
(5)
The names of all abutting property owners, with the County Recorder
of Deeds book and page numbers where recorded.
(6)
A key map, for the purpose of locating the property being subdivided,
showing the relationship to adjoining property and to all streets,
roads, municipal boundaries and recorded subdivision plans existing
within 1,000 feet of any part of the property.
(7)
The total tract boundaries of the property being subdivided,
showing bearings and distances, and a statement of total acreage of
the property.
(8)
Zoning data, including any changes in the existing zoning to
be requested by the owner. If a zoning district change is being considered
or is pending, which might affect the proposed park, the Borough shall
notify the owner of such a request.
(9)
Contour lines at vertical intervals of two feet for land with
average natural slopes of 4% or less and at vertical intervals of
five feet for land with average natural slopes exceeding 4%.
(10)
The location and elevation of the datum to which contour elevations
refer; where reasonably practicable, datum used shall be a known established
benchmark.
(11)
All existing sewer lines, waterlines, fire hydrants, utility
transmission lines, culverts, bridges, railroads, watercourses and
other significant man-made or natural features within the proposed
mobile home park and within 50 feet from the boundaries of the proposed
mobile home park.
(12)
All existing buildings or other structures and the approximate
location of all existing tree masses within the proposed mobile home
park.
(13)
All existing streets, including streets of record (recorded
but not constructed), on or abutting the tract, including names, right-of-way
widths, cartway (pavement) widths and approximate grades.
(14)
The full plan of the proposed development, including:
(a)
Location and width of all streets and rights-of-way, with a
statement of any conditions governing their use.
(b)
Suggested street names and utility easement locations.
(c)
Proposed building setback lines along each street.
(d)
Lot lines, with dimensions.
(e)
A statement of the intended use of all nonresidential lots and
parcels.
(f)
Lot numbers and a statement of the total number of lots and
parcels.
(g)
Sanitary and/or storm sewers (and other drainage facilities),
with the size and material of each indicated, and any proposed connections
with existing facilities.
(h)
Parks, playgrounds, streets and other areas dedicated or reserved
for public use, with any conditions governing such use.
D.
The plan shall be accompanied by the following supplementary data,
as applicable:
(1)
Typical street cross-section drawing(s) for all proposed streets.
Cross-section drawings may be shown on either the plan or the profile
sheets.
(2)
Streets to be offered for public dedication shall have profiles
prepared along the top of the cartway (pavement) edges or along the
top of the curb for both sides of each proposed street shown on the
plan. Such profiles shall show natural and finished grades at the
following scale, or a ratio thereof: one inch equals 10 feet horizontal
and one inch equals one foot vertical.
(3)
Designs of any bridges or culverts which may be required. Such
designs shall meet all applicable requirements of the Pennsylvania
Water and Power Resources Board and/or the Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation.
A.
General requirements. An adequate supply of water shall be provided
for mobile homes, service buildings and other accessory facilities
as required by this article. Where a public water supply system of
satisfactory quantity, quality and pressure is available, connection
shall be made thereto, and its supply shall be used exclusively. Where
a satisfactory public water supply system is not available, the development
of a private water supply system shall be approved by the Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection or other authorities having
jurisdiction.
B.
Fire hydrants. Where a public supply of water is provided, fire hydrants
shall be installed as agreed upon by the Borough Council and the agency
responsible for supplying water.
C.
Individual water riser pipes and connections.
(1)
Individual water riser pipes shall be located within the confined
area of the mobile home space at a point where the water connection
will approximate a vertical position, thereby ensuring the shortest
water connection possible and decreasing susceptibility to water pipe
freezing.
(2)
The water riser pipe shall have a minimum inside diameter of
3/4 inch and terminate at least four inches above the ground surface.
The water outlet shall be provided with a cap when a mobile home does
not occupy the lot.
(3)
Adequate provisions shall be made to prevent freezing of service
lines, valves and riser pipe and to protect risers from heaving and
thawing actions of ground during freezing weather. Surface drainage
shall be diverted from the location of the riser pipe.
(4)
A shutoff water valve below the frost line shall be provided
near the water riser pipe in each mobile home lot. Underground stop-and-waste
valves are prohibited, unless their types of manufacture and their
method of installation are approved by the Borough Council.
A.
General requirements. An adequate and safe sewerage system shall
be provided in all parks for conveying and disposing of sewage from
mobile homes, service buildings and other accessory facilities. Such
system shall be designed, constructed and maintained in accordance
with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Borough
ordinances.
B.
Individual sewer connections.
(1)
Each mobile home space shall be provided with at least a four-inch-diameter
sewer riser pipe. This sewer riser pipe shall be impeded in poured
concrete, minimum twelve-inch diameter and minimum eighteen-inch depth.
The rim of the riser pipe shall extend at least 1/2 inch above the
ground elevation. The sewer riser pipe shall be so located on each
space that the sewer connection to the mobile home drain outlet will
approximate a vertical position.
(2)
The sewer connection, defined in Article II, shall have a nominal inside diameter of not less than four inches, and the slope of any portion thereof shall be at least 1/4 per foot. All joints shall be watertight.
(3)
All materials used for a sewer connection shall be in accordance with Chapter 140, Plumbing and Mechanical Standards.
(4)
Provisions shall be made for plugging the sewer riser pipe when
a mobile home does not occupy the lot. Surface drainage shall be diverted
away from the riser.
A.
General requirements. Every park shall contain an electrical wiring
system consisting of wiring, fixtures, equipment and appurtenances
which shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the Borough
ordinances regulating such systems.
B.
Power distribution lines. Main power lines not located underground
shall be suspended at least 18 feet above the ground and shall have
a minimum vertical clearance of eight feet above any mobile home,
service building or other structure.
A.
The requirements of this section shall apply to service buildings,
recreation buildings and other community service facilities when constructed,
such as: management offices, repair shops and storage areas, laundry
facilities and indoor recreation areas.
B.
All structural requirements shall be in accordance with the Borough
ordinances regulating the same.
The storage, collection and disposal of refuse in the mobile
home park shall be so managed as to not create health hazards, rodent
harborages, insect-breeding areas and accident or fire hazards or
air pollution and shall be in accordance with Borough ordinances.
Fire protection provisions shall be in accordance with the Borough
ordinances.
All piping from outside fuel storage tanks or cylinders to mobile
homes shall be copper or other acceptable metallic tubing and shall
be permanently installed and securely fastened in place. All fuel
storage tanks or cylinders shall be securely fastened in place and
shall not be located inside or beneath the mobile home or less than
five feet from any mobile home exit.
A.
The person to whom a permit for a mobile home park is issued shall
operate the park in compliance with this article and shall provide
adequate supervision to maintain the park, its facilities and equipment
in good repair and in a clean and sanitary condition.
B.
The park management shall supervise the placement of each mobile
home on its mobile home space, which includes securing its stability
and installing all utility connections.
C.
The park management shall give the Borough Council or its representatives
free access to all mobile home lots, service buildings and other community
service facilities for the purpose of inspection.
D.
The management shall maintain a register containing the names and
addresses of all park occupants. Such register shall be available
to any authorized person inspecting the park.
E.
The management shall notify the local Pennsylvania Department of
Health immediately of any suspected communicable or contagious disease
within the park.
Whenever, upon inspection of any mobile home park, it is determined
that conditions or practices exist which are in violation of any provision
of this article, or of any regulations adopted pursuant thereto, the
Borough Council or its representatives shall give notice, in writing,
to the person to whom the permit was issued, advising him or her that,
unless such conditions or practices are corrected within the period
of time specified in the notice, the permit to operate shall be suspended.
At the end of such period, such mobile home park shall be reinspected;
and if such conditions or practices have not been corrected, the Building
Inspector shall suspend the permit and give notice, in writing, of
such suspension to the person to whom the permit is issued. An aggrieved
party may file an appeal to the Borough Council in accordance with
the Local Agency Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 2 Pa.C.S.A. § 501 et seq.